In an unprecedented turn of events, Monique LaGrange, the trustee affiliated with Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools (RDCRS), has refused to issue an apology following her controversial post that drew parallels between teaching children about the LGBTQ2S+ community and the indoctrination tactics employed in Nazi Germany.
Both the Alberta Teachers’ Association and many individuals within the LGBTQ2S+ community expressed their dismay at LaGrange’s post, leading to a call for her dismissal. Despite these claims, LaGrange continues to serve with conditions attached. Participating in sensitivity training focussing on the dreadful experiences of the Holocaust and understanding LGBTQ2S+ discrimination form part of the learning curve she’s assigned. In addition, she’s also expected to offer a public apology to rectify the situation.
According to recent statements from her legal counsel, James Kitchen, the mandated apology won’t be forthcoming. Further, Kitchen expressed an intention to challenge the decision made by the RDCRS board in late September through a judicial review. In his supportive stance, Kitchen argued, “My client was simply expressing her viewpoint. To apologize would be a falsification of her beliefs and portray her dishonest. Above all, she’s a person of integrity, and this integrity precludes her from such an act.”
In emphasizing LaGrange’s defiance, Kitchen emphasises that the conditions established by the board are unreasonable. “The board is setting my client up for failure by imposing conditions they know full well she cannot meet,” he retorted. On the matter of attending the mandated sensitivity training, LaGrange remains ambivalent. Pointing out the apparent ineffectiveness of such a ruling, Kitchen added, “The post-training apology won’t be happening, which ultimately questions the purpose of this procedural rigmarole.”
In line with this stance, a judicial review has been requested, contending that the board’s decision crosses legal and rational boundaries and deserves a reversal. The justification behind RDCRS’s decision, as it stands, is yet to be disclosed, influencing Kitchen’s preparation for the upcoming review, scheduled for November.
Insinuated consequences triggered by LaGrange’s non-compliance with the conditions, pertaining to both the apology and the sensitivity training, will form part of this review, according to Kitchen. Monique LaGrange, despite the ongoing matter, remains an active board member at RDCRS. However, restrictions now deny her participation or representation in board matters until she duly completes her assigned sensitivity training.
